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It's interesting that Manhattan, a supposedly wealthy and prestigious place, has so many housing projects. I'm not talking about just the ones in harlem and east harlem but the massive housing projects in prime real estate, like the lower east side next to east river, chelsea, lincoln center, and even upper east side. What's even more shocking is that there's luxury condos right next to these projects!

If NYC wants to get to the next level and truly become a great city, it should imitate Chicago's model of urban development, which is the gold standard for all cities. Chicago has destroyed most of the housing projects near prime real estate, such as the infamous cabrini green, which is near gold coast. As a result, Chicago from the south loop all the way north to rogers park, is impeccably clean, safe, and thoroughly gentrified. There's very few homeless people and violent criminals roaming the streets at night.

NYC still has a long way to go, and I wish it the best of luck. The next mayor and the city council should study Chicago's model. After all, there's a reason why Chicago is the favorite to win the 2016 Olympics.

Chicago sent them off to the far south side, where they built decent family homes that they can live in. This is one of the reasons why such a large part of Chicago is clean, safe, and full of luxury condos, upscale restaurants, clubs, bars, and retail.

In Manhattan, you can go from nice condos to the dangerous projects within a few blocks! I mean, look at the projects near lincoln center on west end avenue, as an example. They've built several luxury condos right next to it. I think this is unacceptable, and NYC needs to strive to do better.

...and look how the south side turned out. It might look nicer, but everyone knows it's nickname, "Shot-town". The people in the projects tend to not mingle with the outside world, and they stay in their areas.. the projects were there first, so maybe they should be complaining about the condos instead, and if anyone really had a problem with this, then they wouldn't be moving into these condos. They're not cheap, and I'm sure you could find a better location elsewhere if you didn't want to live next to the projects.

No, NYC is great precisely because we are not like the Chicago the OP described.

We are a city that recognizes thae value of ALL human beings not just those who accumulated wealth - by honest and/or dishonest means, by hard work, inheritance, or plain luck. We recognize that all our residents have a right to enjoy our metropolis - to wit, we have projects, rent stabilization and rent control, luxury condos, Soho, UES, Forest Hills, Williamsburg, Harlem ,South Jamaica, Flatbush, South Bronx- and they all make NYC different and uniquely more exciting and desirable than the vision expressed by some elitists.

It's interesting that Manhattan, a supposedly wealthy and prestigious place, has so many housing projects. I'm not talking about just the ones in harlem and east harlem but the massive housing projects in prime real estate, like the lower east side next to east river, chelsea, lincoln center, and even upper east side. What's even more shocking is that there's luxury condos right next to these projects!

Yes, the projects have to go.

Replace them with affordable housing for working people who make NYC run: cops, teachers, firefighters, transit workers, etc.

Project dwellers just hang out in the projects all day. It makes no difference to them if they're in Manhattan or the Rockaways.

Unfortunately, if the projects are ever moved, they'll be replaced with luxury condos.

Replace them with affordable housing for working people who make NYC run: cops, teachers, firefighters, transit workers, etc.

Project dwellers just hang out in the projects all day. It makes no difference to them if they're in Manhattan or the Rockaways.

Unfortunately, if the projects are ever moved, they'll be replaced with luxury condos.

Ace you can't have it both ways. You are anti-gentrification and yet you for tearing down the projects. So the working, middle to upper middle can push out the lower class, but the upper class pushing out the middle class should not be allowed??It is all about someone moving in that can afford more than someone else, what is the difference? Since you like middle class people more, they should get special treatment?

ChicagoFinance, I sincerely hope you get your wish for Chicago to get the 2016 Olympics. First off, New York City doesn't need the Olympics--some city that needs the promotion ought to have them! And second, think twice before you make a wish like that: Montreal has still not fully paid off their debt from the 1976 Games. Why any city would actually want the Olympics is beyond reason.

NYC realized that putting up large sections of pj's, creates PJ cities full of people that are isolated from the rest of the city and this creates a lot of social ills.

Placing smaller pj's in different sections of Manhattan and other boros works out ok. There is less crime and people are not isolated. They are usually near descent schools, libraries, supermarkets, transportation etc. Also most of these people work but don't make enough to live in better sections. Some are disabled and need to be near hospitals and transportation.

I don't know what the actual statistics are of people that stay in pj's for 2, 3, or even 4 generations. Over the years I have met many people that grew up in projects, got a good education, got a good job, and were able to move out of the pj's, and so have all their siblings. I would like to know what the actual statistics are on this. I think what we see more of, is that as one family moves out, there is always another to replace them.

NYC realized that putting up large sections of pj's, creates PJ cities full of people that are isolated from the rest of the city and this creates a lot of social ills.

Placing smaller pj's in different sections of Manhattan and other boros works out ok. There is less crime and people are not isolated. They are usually near descent schools, libraries, supermarkets, transportation etc. Also most of these people work but don't make enough to live in better sections. Some are disabled and need to be near hospitals and transportation.

I don't know what the actual statistics are of people that stay in pj's for 2, 3, or even 4 generations. Over the years I have met many people that grew up in projects, got a good education, got a good job, and were able to move out of the pj's, and so have all their siblings. I would like to know what the actual statistics are on this. I think what we see more of, is that as one family moves out, there is always another to replace them.

Exactly Das. Integrating people of different incomes = less crime. Moving all projects to the Bronx would just create a nightmare for those people and for the Bronx.

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